FORGE FOR SMALL STUFF

[3lbhammer]

Some many years ago I saw a article in book about metal smiths. It was a time/life book. In it a asian smith was in his shop with a small bowl of coals with which he was heating small brass parts to soldering. I needed to make a small part for a cap lock revolver so reduced the size of the fire in my forge for a small part. Used only about two cups of charcoal. The smith in the book had a blow pipe he blew from his mouth. My small forge worked well to control heat to forge small part from a piece of spring 1/8 in diameter to 1/4 x 1/16. Id like to hear of other solutions to the problem. I do not have a torch. I think If I do this again Ill use brick or cut the can in half.

[junker]

ok so that didn't embed right, ill get the url:

and:

[Sam Falzone]

Thanks for the video Junker - I actually went to find the part 2 as well.
Am I the only one who thinks that the heat conduction and radiation from actually using that rig to do any forging would melt that plastic fan into a puddle of goo?
Am I wrong?

[3lbhammer]

I have "lost" small parts in a regular forge fire. So I have a need for a small forge that does not burn up the small parts. I am thinking of getting a cast iron sauce pan and maybe a foot pump bellow of some sort. Small parts lose heat quickly so being close to forge and anvil is necessary. The can in my forge had the bottom cut out. It worked suprisinglly well.

[ThomasPowers]

I tend to use a "1 soft firebrick" forge for small stuff. It runs off a standard plumber's propane torch and I've used it for nail making, silver forging and small ornamental work.

[K. Bryan Morgan]

There are lots of ideas out there for small or micro sized forges. Try http://www.zoellerforge.com/ There are several good plans on that site that are extremely easy to execute. Good luck and post some pics of what you come up with.

[Frosty]

I use fire bricks to customize the fire size in my coal forges. They don't have an actual firepot but a "Duck's nest" almost level with the forge table. From there I put bricks around the air grate in whatever configuration I need, be it square and large or long and narrow or small with walls and a roof for heat treating.

As to the fire melting a plastic blower, NOT if you put a single bend in the air line so the plastic is not in line of sight with the fire. After eliminating the line of sight IR radiation it's no struggle for even a small fan or blower to prevent hot air from flowing DOWNHILL in violation of convection.

A small bellows can be as simple as a paper bag and piece of garden hose or a piece of PVC pipe, and a broomstick with a flap on the end. It's best to have a helper with the bag bellows though.

What I like for a field expedient forge is a spot with a prevailing wind, then all you need is enough pipe to reach into the wind and down to the ground from working height for a side blast or under the air grate for a bottom blast, no matter. Than to control the blast simply make an upwind facing funnel from some sheet, metal, plywood or tar paper, it doesn't matter and enlarge the scoop or partially block it with some sheet to control the fire.

Frosty the Lucky.